Reenforce attachment for stockings



Patented Oct. 10, 1933 PATENT n OFFICE .REENFORCE ATTACHMENT FORv STOCKINGS Benjamin H. Anderson, Mansfield, lApplication May 17, 1932. Serial No. 611,792

4 Claims. (Cl. 2-243) The invention relates to a reenforce or Wear protective attachment for a stocking.

The action of the human heel and other parts of the foot on the inside of the stocking rather '5 than the action of the inside of the shoe on the stocking is what ordinarily causes the most of the wear on the stocking. The object of the present invention is to provide a reenforce mem-` ber which may be readily attached to the inside l of such portions of the stocking as are most quickly Worn out by the abrasive action of the foot or leg of the wearer.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illus trated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practised or carried out in various ways.

Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit `the invention beyond the terms of the several claims hereto appended as considered in View of the prior art and the requirements thereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary ,view of a stocking showing reenforcements embodying the invention applied to the inside thereof;

Figs. 2 and 3 show respectively the fabric side and the coated side of one of the reenforcements;

Fig. 4 is an exaggerated sectional view taken on the line F4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an exaggerated sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an exaggerated sectional view showing the fabric with the filler applied thereto; .lo Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing a stocking turned inside out and having the reenforcement applied to the heel thereof; i

Fig. 8 shows a form of reenforcement adapted for the toe portion of the stocking.

Referring to the drawing the reenforce .member comprises a body portion 10 of fabric or the like which is capable of stretching in one direction and ispractically non-stretchable or at least less stretchable in the transversedirection. Pref- 59 erably this body portion is a knit fabric. The

stretch or give portions of the threads of thefabric. are indicated at 14. and the stitch portions are indicated at 15. This body portion has on one face thereof a coating 11 of gutta-percha. The device has a contour shaped to nt the particular portion of the inside of the stocking which it is desired to protect.' In Fig. 2 there is shown a form `H particularly intended for use in the heel portion. In Fig. 8 there is shown a form T especially intended for use in the toe portion of the stocking. p 1 The several forms shown are illustrative and may be varied according to the particular portion of the stocking which is to be strengthened or protected against wear.

The'fabric of which the body portion of the reenforcernent is composed is preferably first shrunk and then is treated to a lling containing rubber or rubber and minerals.

This filling material which is indicated at f in Fig. 6 -llsthe interstices of .the-fabric and prevents it from further shrinking when laundered. A coating of gutta-percha -11 is then applied to the fabric thus prepared. The lling in the fabric forms a base to which the surface coat of gutta-percha is securely anchored, as

lshown in Fig. 4.

When the processing is completed the fabric can be stretched in one directionwithout separating the gutta-percha coating from the cloth. It is only slightly stretchable, if at all, in the transverse direction.

The reenforcement is of a contour suitable to the portion of the stocking to be reenforced. On account of the way in which a stocking is knit, the-leg and foot of the stocking have more tendency to stretch transversely, that is crosswise .of the leg and of the foot, than lengthwise, although it is capable of a somewhat limited stretch lengthwise. The. stretch or give portions 13 of the threads of the stocking and the stretch portions 14 of the reenforce are capable of more stretch, than the stitch portions 12 of the stocking and the stitch portions 15 of the reenforce. The reenforcing member should be applied to the stock- 95 ing in such a positionl that the stitchportions 15 of the reenforce extend crosswise of the stocking' l leg and vthe stretch or give portions 14 of the A reenforce extend lengthwise of the leg. Thus when the reenforcement is attached to or incor porated in the stocking the stretch or give portions of the reenforce extend crosswise of the line of stretch of the stocking.

The fabric of the stocking is indicated at 20j andthe usual splicings for strengthening the heel." 125 sole and toe of the stocking are shown at 21. As' shown in the drawing, thereenforce members H and T are placed on those portions which are provided with thesplicings, but it is to be understood that the reenforcements may be placed in 110 understood that the reenforcements may be used in stockings which do not have splicings.

In applying the reenforce to the stocking, the stocking should be turned inside out and placed on a table or other suitable support, then the prepared reenforcing member should be properly positioned on the stocking. 'Ihen a warm presser member, for instance a ilat iron or other suitable tool, should be applied under pressure to the outer face of the reenforce to soften or melt the guttapercha and cause it to iiow into the interstices between and around the stocking threads or threads of the splicing as shown at 16 in Fig. 5, so that when the gutta-percha cools it will form a permanent bond between the reenforcing member and the stocking and eliminate the necessity of stitching. The bond is so complete and the reenforce is anchored so rmly that the reenforce will be a permanent part of the stocking and will not be detached from the stocking by repeated washings in. luke wann water.

Due to the fact that the reenforce is applied to the surface or" the splicing, the gutta-percha which causes its adherence thereto will not be visible on the outside of the stocking.

In addition to serving as a wear protector it will protect the stocking at the point of reenforcement from coming in contact with the various exertions lthrown ol by the human body through pores in the form of perspiration or other forms which are disastrous to fabrics.

By so placing the reenfcrcing member that the stitch portion 15 extends crosswise of the leg of the stocking while the stretch or give portions i4 of the reenforcement run lengthwise of the leg this will cause the stocking where the greatest horizontal stretch usually comes to be held lrmly and prevented from being stretched crosswise at the immediate point of contact with the reenforcement.

As the stretch or give portions of the reenforcement extend vertically or lengthwise of the stocking it allows free play of the natural lengthwise stretch or" the stocking.

By eliminating the crosswise stretch of the stocking at the point of Contact with the reenforcement, the threads of the stocking at that point will not be thinned out enough to be easily susceptible to wear from friction.

Although the stocking is more readily stretched transversely than lengthwise it has some capacity to stretch lengthwise. When the reenforce is attached to the stocking the greatest stretch of the reenforce is lengthwise of the stocking leg and will stretch enough to equal the lengthwise stretch of the stocking but the stitch portion of the reenforce will prevent the stocking from stretching in a transverse direction to any great extent in that part of the stocking covered by the reenforce.

The portion covered by the reenforce extends only part way around the ankle or only part way around the circumference of the foot and will not stretch perceptibly or will stretch only slightly but the remaining portion of the circumference of the stocking where not coveredby the reenforce will stretch as much as if the reenforce were not used. In the longitudinal direction of the leg or foot there is as much play or stretch as though no reenforce were used.

The continual flexing of the 'stocking weakens the fibers of thread, particularly at the points of greatest stretch and friction which take place at the heel and toe. The use of the reenforcei any other part of the stocking. It is also to be ment of this invention limits this flexing action.

The application of heat causes the guttaperche. to :dow around the threads and bers of the stocking thereby insulating them from one another much after the manner that the cords of a tire are insulated from one another, thereby eliminating friction of these threads one with another.

Inasmuch as the human heel comes in contact with the reenforce member and not with the portion of the stocking covered by the reenforce the friction action of the foot takes place directly on the reenforce and is thereby prevented from being transmitted to the stocking, the shock being vdiiiused and distributed by the cushioning effect of the gutta-percha, thereby eliminating or atleast reducingthe wear on that portion of the-stocking covered by the reenforce.

Abrasive action and shock are absorbed by the reenforce.

While I have especially described the body portion of the reenforce as preferably knitted, any other method of making the body portion whereby it can be readily stretched in one direction and is practically unstretchable in a direction crosswise of the stretch cornes within the scope of .my invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a stocking having a stretch in one direction., a wear-take-up member comprising a body portion of fabric which has a stretch in one direction and no stretch in a transverse direction, said take-up member being positioned on the inside surface of the stocking in such arrangement that the stretch line of the body of the take-up member lies crosswise of the stretch line of the stocking, the body portion of the take-up member having on the face which engages the inside surface of the stocking a coating of gutta-percha which forms a co hesive union between said body portion and the stocking.

2. In combinationwith a stocking having a leg stretch in one direction, a wear-take-up member having a body portion of. fabric which has a stretch in one direction and no stretch in the transverse direction thereof, said wear-take-up being positioned on the inside surface of the stocking leg in such position that the stretch line of the wear-take-up extends crosswise of the stretch line of the stocking leg and a cohesive union of gutta-percha between the wear-take-up and the inside of the stocking leg.

3. In combination with a stocking having a foot portion which has a stretch in a transverse direction of the foot, a wear-takeup fabric member having a stretch in one direction thereof and no stretch in the transverse direction thereof, said wear-take-up being so positioned on the inside of the foot portion of the stocking that the stretch line of'the wear-take-up member extends transversely of the stretch line of the stocking foot and a cohesive union of gutta-percha between the wear-take-up member and the inside surface of the stocking foot.

4. In combination with a stocking, a reenforce member having more stretch in one direction than in the transverse direction thereof, said reenforce member being adhesively secured to the inside of the stocking and so positioned that the 1 direction of greatest stretch of the reenforce member is crosswise to that of the stocking.

BENJAMIN H. ANDERSON. 

